“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
(Romans 12:3 ESV)
We’re told that we can accomplish anything to which we set our mind. We’re told that we can better do anything that someone else can do. And, generally speaking, we want to believe these voices.
We think highly of ourselves. We think highly of our abilities. We think, in fact, too highly of them.
In the passage above, we are told by Paul that we’re not to think too highly of ourselves. We are, rather, to think of ourselves with sober judgment. We’re to think of ourselves rationally and within reason.
He says we’re to think of ourselves according to the measure of faith God has assigned. Faith recognizes, you see, that each blessing is a gift from God’s hand. And our faith will not take credit for the blessings and abilities given us.
If we read on, in the next couple verses, we’re reminded that the church is a body. And just as our physical body is made up of many members, so too is the church.
We, in other words, are not able to do everything. We’re not equipped, in fact, to do everything. God has called, appointed, and equipped different individuals to serve in various ways.
There are limits to our gifts. There are limits to our abilities. And this prevents pride from setting in.
While we may not always realize it, this is a blessing. It’s a blessing as we, then, don’t seek to take too much upon ourselves. It’s a blessing as others are better able to carry out certain tasks and functions. And, as they do so, they are a blessing to us.
We are able to rest. We are able to receive the ministry they have to offer. And we’re able to be blessed by them.
So, no matter what I want to believe, I cannot accomplish anything to which I set my mind. I cannot always perform a certain task better than another. And that’s OK. It’s good. And I can find rest in it.
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